Round up the
roadies: another Rock Band is here. This latest installment brings tons
of new features to the table, blurring the line between playing a game, and
actually making music.

If you’re a
veteran to the franchise, right off the bat you’ll notice that Harmonix is
pushing for a more realistic feel in every aspect of this game. From the
completely overhauled character customization, right down to new features like
PRO Mode and support for real MIDI keyboards, there’s enough new content here to
challenge even the most jaded music gamer. As one that definitely falls into
that category, I was surprised to see that difficulty settings have been ramped
up. On the flipside, carried over from previous games is the “No-Fail” mode,
giving you the opportunity to test the various difficulties without constant
restarts and shame. Newcomers to the franchise might feel a little intimidated
by the sheer magnitude of stuff to do, though in-depth goals are provided to get
you started, along with tutorials and drum lessons to familiarize you with your
faux-instrument.

If
faux-instruments aren’t to your taste, and you want to rock for real, PRO mode
has you covered. Provided you have the extra gear (cymbal
attachments for the
drums, the PRO guitar
or the real Squire Stratocaster), you can play songs
note-for-note, and the game will teach you how to do it. I wouldn’t recommend
this for the faint of heart, nor for those looking to be the next Hendrix
overnight, but it provides a very tangible bridge between gaming, and real-life
implementation.

Features are
nice, but they do little to save a music game if the music sucks, right? Taste
is relative; however I was left a little cold by the set list this time around.
Classic rock
and metal tunes
are standard fare, but the inclusion of pop,
country, and even a little R&B
were a little jarring. Much of this was
necessary to appeal to a wider audience, as well as accommodate the new keyboard
peripheral. PS3
and 360
owners can import most of the songs from Rock Band
1 and 2 for an extra fee, as well as purchase any of the hundreds of
songs available for download on the Rock Band Network. Unfortunately, Wii
owners
are out of luck-what you see is what you get.

Overall, Rock
Band 3 is a fine-tuned evolution of several iterations of the franchise,
though I fear the genre is running out of steam. I miss the arcade-feel of the
older games; however I can’t help but appreciate the amount of respect shown to
both the music, and the musician. It’s a worthy upgrade from Rock Band 2,
and a great starting point for those just jumping in. Whether playing by
yourself, online, or with a group of buddies, a good time is sure to be had.